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The merger of American Airlines and US Airways would reduce competition on some routes, according to an analyst for the Government Accountability Office. However, US Airways Group CEO Doug Parker said the merger would benefit customers. "A broader airline network is better for passengers because it gives them more choices, a wider variety of services, and more competition on more routes," he said.

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The Justice Department's move to block the US Airways-American Airlines merger will also affect international routes, experts say. "A stalled merger would harm the two potential partners on their international routes by robbing them of capital to spend on cabin and service upgrades in their international markets," said David Fitzpatrick, a managing director at AlixPartners.

AMR Corp., the parent company of American Airlines, and US Airways Group are confident they can prevail in a court case to continue with their proposed merger. "The result of this transaction will be lower costs and those lower costs in a competitive industry will in large part be passed on to consumers in the form of lower prices, better service and more routes," said Joe Sims, an AMR attorney.

According to a Consumer Travel Alliance study on the US Airways merger with American, the risk is high for fares to increase. The study notes that the airlines have 761 common connecting routes, which American can raise prices on since it will face less competition.

The Department of Justice is reviewing the number of takeoff and landing slots for a merged American Airlines-US Airways. "If they think there's a problem and conclude the transaction would reduce competition, that's when the DOJ makes these selective requirements to divest routes or slots," said Alison Smith, an antitrust attorney. US Airways CEO Doug Parker told a Senate committee last month that divesting slots at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport would not be good for consumers. "If US Airways or the new American were asked to divest slots, we would, by definition, divest those that are the least lucrative to the airline," Parker said. "Those would tend to be service to smaller communities."

The U.S. Justice Department has asked for more information on the proposed merger between US Airways and American Airlines. "There's very little overlap between the two route networks," US Airways CEO Doug Parker said. "We feel very good about it being approved, but we need to do that work and are happy to do it."